The present invention relates generally to a self-tapping dental implant having a round bottom with channels that extend upwardly to communicate with bone cutting flutes disposed along a tapping end of the implant.
Self-tapping dental implants typically have sharp cutting edges or surfaces that cut and scrape bone as the implant is being rotated and inserted into the jawbone of a patient. These cutting surfaces can be quite sharp and can, in some instances, damage surrounding or adjacent tissue. For instance, the nasal sinus is lined by a membrane called the nasal or schneiderian membrane. If a self-tapping dental implant is incorrectly placed too deeply, then the cutting surfaces can tear or perforate this membrane. Such damage can cause severe bleeding within the sinus cavity.
Some prior self-tapping implants have a completely round bottom. The round bottom mitigates the risk that the cutting surfaces will damage surrounding tissue. At the same time though, a completely round bottom has disadvantages. For example, fluid and debris tend to collect at the bottom of the osteotomy site. In some instances, it is desirable to remove or irrigate this fluid and debris as the implant is being implanted. An implant having a completely round bottom cannot easily accomplish this task.
The present invention solves the problems discussed above with prior self-tapping dental implants and provides further advantages.
The present invention is directed toward a self-tapping dental implant having a rounded or blunt-nose bottom with a plurality of cavities or channels that extend along the bottom. These cavities extend upwardly to communicate with bone cutting flutes disposed along a tapping end of the implant. The rounded end of the implant is devoid of sharp edges, corners, or the like and thus is able to press lightly against delicate anatomical features without tearing, puncturing, or penetrating such features.
As another feature of the present invention, the cavities along the rounded bottom join to and communicate with the cutting flutes. As such, the cavities are able to move or irrigate fluids and debris into the cutting flutes while the implant is being implanted into the jawbone.